The Silver Lining
by xxxxHOLIC
Summary: Serena has finally decided to confess her love to Andrew, in the form of a love note. What happens when she accidentally gives it to a certain dark-haired annoyance instead? Please rr!


A/N: Hi Everyone! well if you're reading this then that means you've stumbled upon my fic and actually decided to click on it! Thank you!!!! This is my first fanfic so pleeeease don't flame me!! I would love any reviews, comments, criticism, anything! Just please no flames! Do I REALLY have to put a disclaimer?? Sigh, okay, I don't own Sailor Moon or any characters here, and so please don't sue me I am broke anyways! ^_^

**Chapter One: **__

"…And the trouble is if you don't risk anything, you risk even more." 

_--Erica Jong_

_This is a nightmare! _

Serena Tsukino's long blonde hair flowed like two banners behind her as she ran wildly passed the blurred streets of Tokyo. Tears were streaming from her eyes and the young girl's lungs felt as if they would explode any minute now, but she continued to run. If people in the streets gave her odd looks as she raced by, she didn't notice it, her whole being was focused on one thing: escape. She pushed her legs to move faster. All the while, the words kept flashing in her mind:

_a nightmare, a nightmare, a nightmare!_

"Serena!! Wait!" Amy Mizuno called out, hands raised to her mouth. She stared incredulously ahead as her friend and scout leader moved farther and farther away, despite her efforts to catch up(Where's Lita when you need her?). Though not the most athletic, Amy _was_ the smartest girl in her school, but for the life of her she couldn't figure out Serena's strange behavior just now. Her school handbag gripped tightly in her hands, Amy continued to chase after Serena, wondering if there was some kind of mathematic equation for making your legs run faster. 

"Amy please leave me alone!" Serena yelled back and shut her eyes, wishing the world away as she continued to dash forward, straight into a telephone booth.

SLAM!

Dazed, Serena lay spread eagle on the floor, her large yes two anime swirls, respectively. "Ow ow. ow. that huurt!" 

"Serena!!!" Amy shrieked, coming up behind her clumsy friend. Her chest heaving, she paused to catch her breath, then added,  "Are you alright?"

 Serena groaned and shakily pushed herself up into a sitting position, rubbing her head. Even though she had just rammed into the booth, Serena couldn't help but give her blue-haired friend a faint smile. Despite having known each other for several months now, Amy still managed to sound surprised whenever Serena tripped, or fell, or smashed into something, or slipped, or...you get the point.

_At least someone hasn't dubbed me a total klutz yet!_

"I'm okay Amy, I think I have a bump but-"

"Oh I didn't mean that! You're always getting hurt Serena!" Amy said, reaching forward and gripping her hands to help her up. (Serena sweatdropped. _So much for that idea!)_

_"_I meant...the running, and, weren't you crying just now?"

Serena was silent for a second, then she let out a nervous laugh as she bent to smooth down her unique sailor-styled school uniform. "I'm fine." 

Amy felt a current of worry pass through her. She was sure she had caught a hint of sadness in Serena's face, her eyes red before they  turned quickly away. How odd! Serena upset? Her friend had always been so bubbly, cheerful, her face wearing that seemingly permanent smile. The blue haired girl's worry instantly changed to panic as she thought of something, "Oh no! is it the negaverse?"

"No!" Serena waved her hand quickly in front of her to dismiss that thought as another large sweatdrop formed on the side of her head. "It's nothing like that!"

"Then you admit there _is_ something."

"Huh?' Serena blinked. Amy gave her a sly smile, but her eyes were warm. Cursing her friend's intelligence, Serena slowly cast her gaze downward. She opened her mouth to talk, but then clamped it shut again. Her eyes began to well up with tears once more, and it wasn't until she felt Amy's hand on her shoulder that she let them trickle down her cheeks.

"Serena, what is it?..." Amy asked softly.

That was it. The tears streamed faster now, and Serena began to sob loudly, "Oh...it. was...he..a... NIGHTMARE!"

It was Amy's turn to blink this time. She took her friend (who was wailing like a baby by this point)  by the arm and led her to a nearby bench. Patting her back softly, Amy paused for only a second, thinking about the words that Serena had said. Suddenly, she let out a relieved sigh. "Oh! it's about Andrew's letter!"

Serena only wailed louder and threw her arms around her friend, confirming Amy's guess. Amy frowned, realizing that her blonde friend's plan must not have gone...well, as planned. It took a few moments and a leftover doughnut from Amy's lunch bag  to calm Serena down, and as Serena dabbed  her eyes with her sailor shirtsleeve, she mumbled, "I gave it to the wrong person."

"What?" Amy's eyes nearly pooped out of their sockets, "what do you mean?"

 Serena finished the doughnut in two large bites and then sighed, forcing herself to remember the events that had occurred only an hour ago. A wave of frustration and anger passed through her. As she began to tell Amy her story, she felt her mind travel back...remembering....and she was no longer sitting their, but her memory had kicked in...taking her there...

"Go on! you can do it Sewena!" Molly's distinct voice whispered, an excited glow in her huge green eyes. Moments earlier, the shrill sound of the bell had echoed across the halls and announced the end of the school day for the two girls. It was around that time that Serena's stomach started to feel as if she had butterflies doing somersaults inside it. Her knees trembled as she walked out of school, her heart pounded as she moved down familiar streets, and as she found herself standing in front of a large building,  every fiber of Serena's being struggled to keep her from dropping the reason for her overwhelming nerves: a love note held tightly between clammy hands.

At that moment, Serena was so nervous that she barely heard Molly say, "Good luck, call me when you get hoome!"

Serena nearly jumped out of her skin when she registered those words. Her blue eyes widened. She wasn't really going to do this, was she? Molly smiled as she placed her hands on Serena's slender shoulders and gave her a light push forward, right through the door of the place Serena had spent most of her after-school hours: the Palace Arcade.

"It's now or never!" Molly breathed eagerly into Serena's ear before turning away.. Serena swallowed hard.

Watching the sliding glass doors wipe Molly's image from view, Serena began to tremble even more violently. Her blue eyes could not mask her uneasiness as they slowly turned away from the door towards a row of arcade games. It wasn't the bright, noisy machines that held her attention, but something, or rather, someone else. The Arcade had its usual crowd of noisy kids and teens, but Serena's eyes saw right through them to a young man standing just a few feet away from Serena. Her heart skipped a beat. 

Gorgeous, wonderful, fabulous, sweet, dreamy Andrew.

It was no surprise Serena was completely infatuated with him. Staring at his back, Serena had hearts in her eyes and she giggled as she placed a hand on her blushing cheek. Andrew, the perfect male specimen. The hard part was deciding what she like best, was it his classically handsome good looks? his tousled blonde hair? his charming smile? No, no! it was  those warm, soft green eyes that when they looked at her...sigh.

_It's now or never...._

_now or never...._

Molly's words suddenly flashed in Serena's head, snapping her from the short reverie. The words echoed, giving Serena courage as she glanced at the folded envelope in her hand. She had spent three days writing her love profession (ignoring her homework and Luna's nagging,  and had concentrated on it so hard that while fighting the negaverse she had accidentally shouted out, "I stand for love letters. and justice! In the name of the.Andrew...OOPS!"). The loud pounding of her heart soon became the only sound that Serena could hear. She had no idea who was moving her feet as they took small, anxious steps forward, but it couldn't possibly have been her, her whole body was frozen! Yet, somehow, she ended up standing only three feet away from Andrew, his tall, strong back so close she could reach out and touch him. He seemed to be talking to someone. _Humph! better not be some girl._

In her nervousness, Serena shut her eyes to give herself strength, strength to utter the words she had practiced a thousand times in front of her bathroom mirror (getting odd looks from Sammy no doubt).

 Taking a deep breath she thrust trembling hands forward and held her note towards Andrew, hearing herself say in a shaky voice "Hiya!!! I -gotta -say this so please don't interrupt me -I -really -like -you- and- I -was -wonderin' -well  -just -read the- note -and -we- can -maybe-.hang out or well anyways here!!"

_I did it! I did it! I did it!_

 All Serena could hear was the pounding of her heart, beating like a loud drum in her chest and pounding against her ears. Her skin began to prickle lightly as she waited for Andrew's response.

"Little idiot."

The words hit Serena like a punch in the stomach. She wrenched her eyes open and her mouth dropped to the ground at what she saw. __

Horror struck Serena down like a thunderbolt.

She whirled her head around wildly, her heart jumping to her throat as she caught site of Andrew walking away, cheerfully talking to a young boy over one of the newer game additions to the arcade. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and a slow, cold feeling of dread began to form at the pit of her stomach.

The sky blackened, the earth trembled, and Serena felt herself falling into the very depths of hell!

 "You really are a meatball head" Darien Shields was standing in front of her, his arms crossed and a strange expression on his face as he leaned against the wall. His large stormy blue eyes, the color of the ocean after a storm,  were fixed on the young girl in front of him with amusement, as if all this was a joke that only he understood. Serena slowly moved her gaze back to Darien,  her cheeks burning in a fierce blush. She watched a slow, sly smile spread across his lips.__

_Oh NO!!! I just confessed my love to Darien!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

She couldn't bare it. She turned and ran out of the arcade as fast as she could.

"Oh, Serena!"  The sound of Amy's sweet voice jolted Serena back to the present as she realized she had finished telling her story. She raised her hands to her face and rubbed it, a feeling of nausea churning her stomach at the recent, bitter memory that she had conjured up. 

"Serena, that's...terrible." Amy said lamely. She glanced at her friend, who sweatdropped. 

"Terrible doesn't begin to describe it! It's a nightmare!"

Amy was quiet for a second, then sat up in the bench and smiled widely. Her blue eyes sparkled, as they turned to her somber friend, "No Serena, listen, did Andrew reject you?"

Serena sniffled, "No.."

"Did he tell you he has a girlfriend? did he say he's gay?"

 "Amy!"

"I am being serious Serena. Even though Andrew didn't receive the letter, and you gave it to Darien (Serena stuck her finger down her throat), at least you proved to yourself you could do this! and if you did it once, you can do it twice, "she gripped her friends shoulders "the most important thing is Andrew hasn't rejected you, you still have a chance!"

"But, but, but I can't go in there again!!" 

"Serena, Andrew gets off work eventually, and I'm sure Darien can't hang out there all day... go and try again. You're a sailor scout, you're sailor moon! If you can fight evil by moonlight, then you sure as H.E. double hockey sticks can win love by daylight!" (a/n- Oh Amy, such language!)

Serena stared at her friend. Her mouth formed a pout and Amy could tell she was going to protest, so she decided to say the one thing she would KNOW would get Serena to go back. Amy shook her head, as if disappointed.  "You know..._Rei _would have gone back."

Serena's cerulean eyes flashed and Amy knew that had done the trick. The sailor scout leader leapt to her feet quickly, baling her hand into a fist as stars formed in her eyes, "You're right Amy! I can do it!" She smiled cheerfully, "I am gunna go back right now!" 

"That's the spirit!" Amy smiled, glad to see her bubbly friend come back to life. She watched as Serena began to run her hands along her uniform, then paused, furrowing her brows together in concentration. 

"where did I..." she mumbled, frowning and turning around in a full circle. She got on her knees, peeking underneath the bench, then got up. She glanced around wildly, her long hair trailing behind.  Amy also stood up when she saw Serena was ghostly pale."Oh...NO!"

"What is it? what happened?"

"The love letter....it's gone!"


End file.
